Collar stay



NOV. 8, 1949 THOMAS 2,487,284

QOLLAR STAY Filed Feb. 19, 1947 INVENTOR. 1130561? 6. 77mm ATTO/P/VE Y6 Patented Nov 8, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application February 19, 1947, Serial No. 729,611 2 Claims. (01. 2-132) The present invention relates to collar stays and more particularly to an improved collar stay for attachment to turn-down collarsin order to maintain the same neat and attractive in appearance and to prevent wrinkling and creasing of the collar tabs While the garment, to which the collar is attached, is being worn.

Various types of co'llar stays have been designed for the general purposes outlined above, but have been found to include certain inherent disadvantages, as, for example, many of these devices may be attached only when the collar is buttoned; they are not easily adjustable to fit various styles of collars embodying varying lengths of collar tabs; or they are complex in structure and difllcult to attach to the collar.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved collar stay of the type described. A further object is to provide a collar stay which will function to maintain the desired smooth and pressed appearance of collar tabs when the collar is worn either closed or open. Another object is to provide an improved collar stay which is easily and instantly adjustable to any size and style of collar. Still another object is to provide a collar stay which may be attached readily to the collar tabs by the wearer before putting on the garment to which the collar is attached. Still another object is to provide a collar stay which may be attached readily to a detachable collar before the collar is attached to a garment. A still further object is to provide a collar stay which may be simply and inexpensively manufactured.

Other objects, together with some of the advantages to be derived according to the present invention, will become apparent from the following detailed description of the same, taken together with the accompanying drawing forming a part of the specification wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of a typical turn-down collar such as is often found on dress shirts, soft shirts, sport shirts, shirtwaists and similar garments, showing collar stays according to the present invention attached thereto;

Figure 2 is an enlarged view in elevation of the collar shown in Figure l with the collar unbuttoned, the tabs raised and the necktie re-.

moved to illustrate the manner in which the collar stays are attached thereto;

Figure 3 is a view in side elevation of a collar stay affixed to a collar tab, and

Figure 4 is a view in front elevation of the collar stay.

Referring to the drawings, a collar of the turndown type includes a neckband 3 detachably joined at its ends by a conventional collar button. Collar tabs 2 of the usual type are formed as part of the collar. A conventional four-inhand tie 4, with knot at 5, is shown in place, although the collar stays of the present invention may be equally well utilized with bow or other ties or in the absence of a tie.

A separate collar stay is provided for each collar tab, each stay being formed of a, resilient material and comprising an elongated arm 6 and an abbreviated arm 1 reversely turned with respect to the arm 6. Collar engaging pins 8 and 9, best described as being U-shaped in form before being embodied in a stay, are stabbed through each arm 8 from the underside thereof so that the transverse portion of the U-shaped pin abuts the underside of the arm, said transverse portion being substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongated arm 6. The two legs of the pin are then bent downwardly toward the adjacent ends of the arm 6 to lie adjacent the upper surface of said arms, thus providing oppositely directed points In and H.

The collar stays, as attached to the collar tabs, are slightly bowed, said stays having been compressed slightly to make the arms 6 arcuate in' form for the insertion of piercing points In and II in the fabric of collar tabs 2. Since the stays are formed of a flexible and resilient material, such as spring steel or thin steel strips or other metals or materials having the required resilient properties, the inherent tendency of the arms 6 to resist compression serves both to retain piercing points Ill and II in the fabric of collar tabs 2 and to stretch the fabric between the points of attachment, thus preventing creasing and/or wrinkling of collar tabs 2.

It will be noted that the piercing points ID and II penetrate the fabric of the collar tabs only for the full length of said points, further relative movement between the pins and fabric being prevented by the right angled portions of the collar attaching members 8 and 9 supporting the pins l0 and H. The tendency for the fabric to creep past the pins and up the arms 6 of the stays is thus obviated.

Among others, the following specific advantages are derived in utilizing the collar stays of the present invention:

The present collar stays may be attached to the collar tabs either before or after putting on the garment to which the collar is attached. They are instantly adjustable to any length of collar tab and to any style of collar embodying collar tabs or wings. Further, any style of neckwear may be put on or taken off readily without disturbing the collar stays, and, since it is often desired to wear the collar open and without neckwear, a particular advantage of the invention lies in the fact that even under such circumstances the present collar stays will serve to retain the desired smooth and unwrinkled appearance of the collar tabs, the collar stays themselves remaining outwardly invisible. Furthermore, the garment to which collar stays according to this invention have been attached may be removed and put on by the wearer as desired without removing the collar stays, thus greatly reducing the wear and tear on collar tabs which may be brought about by repeated removal and reinsertion of piercing points over a relatively long period of time.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it is to be understood that modifications of this embodiment may be had within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a collar stay for tab collars, the combination comprising a flexible elongated member and a fabric-engaging element adjacent each end of said member, said elements comprising substantially U-shaped pins, the legs of which are passed through the member to bring the legconnecting portions of each pin into abutting relation with the same side of the member, the legs of each pin being bent downwardly in the same direction, and in alignment with the legconnecting portion thereof, toward the end of said member adjacent thereto and into substantial parallelism with said member, said legs being located at the opposite side of said member with respect to the leg-connecting portion of each pin, at least one leg of each pin being provided with a piercing point for engagement with the fabric of a collar.

2. In a collar stay for tab collars, the combination comprising a flexible elongated member and a fabric-engaging element adjacent each end of said member, each of said elements comprising a substantially U-shaped pin, the legs of which are passed through the member to bring the legconnecting portions of the pins into abutting relation with the same side of the member so that said portions are parallel to the longitudinal axis of said member, the legs of each pin being bent downwardly in the same direction toward the end of the member adjacent thereto to be in alignment with the leg-connecting portion, the leg of each pin nearest the respective ends of the member being provided with a piercing point for engagement with the fabric of a collar.

ROBERT B. THOMAS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 851,278 Dean Apr. 23, 1907 920,342 Kelley May 4, 1909 1,723,202 Oliver Aug. 6, 1929 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 271,115 Great Britain Nov. 10, 1927 

